For a number of years there has been concern about the gap in second-level clinical support for registered nurses. A Nursing Advisory Committee was set up by the Ministry of Health to advise the Director General of Health on the clinical workforce to support registered nurses.
Currently enrolled nurses and nurse assistants are the second level support. Increasingly non-regulated health workers with some education and training are also providing support to registered nurses.
The committee took the following into consideration: the current gap in the second level clincial support for registered nurses population and health sector needs labour market factors overseas experience of managing this workforce international frameworks incluing the International Council of Nurses current workforce strategies and initiatives quality and safety of patient care.Final recommendations were made after feedback from the stakeholders